On today's episode we're sharing a very special lecture presented by Dr. Natasha Henry-Dixon, president of the Ontario Black History Society, and the topic expert on Emancipation Day.

This episode is another journey in our Hearing History series, taking full advantage of the podcast format by exploring local history through sound. Today’s sound is the slap shot, a powerful hockey shot heard for a century on the streets, frozen ponds, and in the arenas of St. Catharines. This episode tracks the history of the slap […]

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing a lecture presented by our own Kathleen Powell titled ‘Election 1917: Wartime Canada Goes to the Polls.’

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing a lecture titled "The Indigenous Underground Railroad" with special guest Dr. Roy Finkenbine, professor of history and Director of the Black Abolitionist Archive at the University of Detroit Mercy. This lecture was originally recorded on April 26, 2022.

In this 3-episode series, host Sean Dineley lets a sampling of long-time St. Catharines residents do most of the talking. The people whose stories you will hear have all been participants in the museum’s StoryLab program. This ongoing oral history project is all about getting the diverse experiences and perspectives of real St. Catharinites into […]

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing a lecture titled Return to "Civvy" Street: Postwar St. Catharines originally presented in March, 2022 by Sara Nixon.

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing a lecture titled From Anatevka to St. Catharines: the Early Years of the Spiritual Home of the Jewish Community, presented by special guest Howard Slepkov. This lecture was originally recorded on March 1, 2022.

In this 3-episode series, host Sean Dineley lets a sampling of long-time St. Catharines residents do most of the talking. The people whose stories you will hear have all been participants in the museum’s StoryLab program. This ongoing oral history project is all about getting the diverse experiences and perspectives of real St. Catharinites into […]

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing the history of early black residents of St. Catharines with a lecture titled: ‘The Daily Grind: The Records of Freedom Seekers in St. Catharines’ presented by Abbey Stansfield. This lecture was originally recorded on February 1, 2022.

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing about the Coloured Corps and the construction of the Second Welland Canal with a lecture presented by yours truly titled “Upper Canada’s Black Defenders take on Niagara’s Wild West.” This lecture was originally presented on February 15, 2022.

In this 3-episode series, host Sean Dineley lets a sampling of long-time St. Catharines residents do most of the talking. The people whose stories you will hear have all been participants in the museum’s StoryLab program. This ongoing oral history project is all about getting the diverse experiences and perspectives of real St. Catharinites into […]

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’re sharing a lecture about urban development in St. Catharines – a long and storied tale. This lecture was originally presented on November 16, 2021 by Sara Nixon.

In this episode of Museum Chat Live! Sean discusses the history of museums since the late 1700s. He delves into some of the more controversial historical museum practices and offers a perspective on how and why histories presented seem to keep changing. In the second half of the episode, Sean discusses the evolution of the […]

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast our Visitor Services Coordinator Adrian Petry gives a lecture about the rich and exciting history of hockey in our city. Hear stories from the early days of pick-up on a frozen Welland Canal to Stan Mikita and the big-league games here at the Garden City Arena.

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast special guest Andy Panko explores the Welland Canal Construction Railway, a railway built specifically to service the construction of the Welland Ship Canal. His lecture is titled “The busiest piece of railway in Canada” and was originally presented on October 5, 2021.

As the 20th century dawned with new excitement and a look forward to the next century, St. Catharines was in a period of growth and prosperity. Did that rosy picture translate into the home and domestic life? Look behind closed doors and catch a glimpse of the domestic sphere and how it was changing with the new century.

This episode is the first in the Hearing History series, which explores the history of St. Catharines through sound. Close your eyes, open your ears, and join host Sean Dineley in his sonic exploration of the foghorn. This episode explores the history of this nautical warning system as well as its unique connections to St. […]

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’ll hear a presentation from our own Sara Nixon with her lecture titled ‘A Model City: the 1913 St. Catharines Board of Trade Yearbook’. The lecture was originally recorded on May 11, 2021.

On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, we discuss what heritage advocacy looks like on the local level, on the ground and at the grassroots. To help us navigate the many layers to identifying, protecting, and enhancing community heritage, we’ve invite Andrew Humeniuk onto the podcast. Andrew is a member of the the St. Catharines Heritage Advisory Committee and Executive Director of The Brown Homestead here in St. Catharines.

On today’s episode of VMLS via Podcast we’ll hear from war historian and author Dr. Tim Cook. Tim’s book ‘The Fight for History’ looks at the significance of remembering the Second World War. This lecture was originally presented on April 27, 2021.

Today’s lecture, is a bit different. We were happy to host the students of the Brock University Historical Society in symposium on the series on April 13, 2021. You’ll hear lots of different voices and stories on this episode. For more information on the work of the Brock University Historical Society, please visit their Facebook page: facebook.com/brockhistoricalsociety.

Today’s lecture, originally presented on March 30, 2021, was presented by special guest Colleen Beard, map librarian emeritus at Brock University. Colleen’s Historic Welland Canals Mapping Project has mapped the routes of the three early Welland Canals and her presentation takes us through her website.

On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, consider the role of oral history in collecting community stories, and building community legacy. We discuss the Museum's oral history collection project, STC StoryLab, and sit down with Reverend Dr. Paul Miller, pastor of Westminster United Church located on Queenston Street in St. Catharines, and a leader in the Queenston Neighbourhood.

On this episode of VMLS via Podcast: A lecture originally presented in March 16, 2021, examines the experiences of soldiers from St. Catharines who fought in the Boer War.